Cargnel finally sentenced

?Years later, mother receives two years in death of her child

January 19, 2013

ST. CLAIRSVILLE - After years of legal procedure, a case that involved the death of a 10-year-old child ended this past week with the sentencing of the mother, Carmen Cargnel, 33, 109 Main St., Morristown, on a count of endangering children, a felony of the third degree occurring Aug. 21, 2008. She received a sentence of two years in the penitentiary.

Visiting Judge Linton Lewis presided.

According to the prosecutor's office, the case was delayed by several issues including two years for the investigators to obtain all medical records. The child had suffered double pneumonia and malnutrition.

Prosecutor Chris Berhalter credited the sheriff's department and Belmont County Childrens Services for their investigative work on the case, which went through two judges and saw Cargnel enter and withdraw her plea.

"We were only able to proceed because of the outstanding job by the sheriff's office and Childrens Services," he said.

"No amount of time will ever make up for what was done to that child, however the sentence does state the obvious: the parents have a duty to take care of their children," he said. "Despite delays, we never wavered in our determination to hold her accountable."